Champions League: We May Be Tagged As Failures If We Don’t Rule Europe- Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola claims some critics will write his Manchester City side off as a failure if they do not win the Champions League.

City have spent more than £500m on players since Guardiola took charge at the Etihad in 2016.

They won the Premier League in some style last season and are again top of the table this term, but Guardiola knows expectations are high.

“For the people who don’t love us too much, who use money as an argument, then we has failed if we don’t win the Champions League,” said Guardiola, whose side continue their latest European campaign at Lyon tonight.

“For the others, especially our fans who say they enjoy watching our games and enjoy what we are doing, I’m pretty sure they won’t have regrets about what these guys have been doing every three days for the last 15 months.

“That is the best compliment, the best sucess the team can have. But, of course, we want to qualify, continue our level in the Premier League and arrive in the best possible

condition with everybody fit to challenge again to go quite far.

“After that, the competition speaks for itself. We can have a lot of desire and wishes but the competition is so tough.”

City can secure their place in the last 16 for a sixth successive season with a draw, and a victory would seal top spot in Group F with a game to spare.

Guardiola’s side have recovered well by reeling off three successive victories in the competition since suffering a surprise 2-1 loss to Lyon at the Etihad Stadium in September.

They now lead the group by three points from Lyon, who have drawn their last three fixtures.

But Guardiola, wary of what occurred the last time the sides met, is not taking anything for granted against a team who can also make sure of progress with a victory.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said: “They were better. In the first half they were better than us. They have a strong team. They have top, top players.

“When you lose the first game at home the group stage becomes so tough, but we did our job, winning the next three and the other opponents drew.

“We tried to avoid arriving in the last game demanding a win to qualify and we have a big chance now. We reacted so well but the job is not over. Hopefully we can close it.”

Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus all failed to travel due to knocks, but City are hopeful the problems are not serious.

“I would prefer to have all the squad but it is what it is,” Guardiola said. “We have to adapt.”

Guardiola added that youngster Phil Foden was “definitely” ready to start should he be required.

In a light-hearted moment, Guardiola jokingly aimed a fake punch at a reporter asking him in French to compare himself with his Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho.